Country Club, 1035 NW 11th Ave, Miami, FL 33136

Spring gardens, tucked away from view, this triangle of land is wedged between nw twelfth avenue, state road 836, and the north bank of the miami river. Advertised as the most exclusive subdivision for sale in miami in 1919, its developer, 49-year-old john seybold, insisted on deed restrictions to preserve leafy, shaded streets and houses set back on ample lots. It worked! Eighty-one years later, giant banyan trees and moss-draped live oaks shade grand old homes built in florida vernacular and victorian styles. The breeze coming up the river, along with the lush foliage, keep the temperatures down. Everyone seems to have a dog, which gives a lively neighborhood feel to the otherwise quiet streets. One of miami's four historic districts, spring garden even boasts a park that neighbors.